The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-05
PARTICULAR ABOUT HER FOOD.
A Prima Donna Who Soaked Her Mackerel
in Hotel Bath-Tub.
New York Times.

New York Times.
had occasion once to stop for few days at
the Russell House in Detroit. 1t was in winter.
and about a week before my arrival the city had
had operate treat one OF the best English
companies the country ever had having given
six performances. 1 lodged in a suite Of
spacious rooms which had, I was given to under
stand by all the ''help" my floor. been
pied few days before by the prima donna of the
opera knew her by professional reputation,
and had often listened to her charming soprano
voice in the operas in which she had achieved
worldwide reputation. And by the way, have
her in the city not SO long ago either. I
had heard yarns about her eccentricitieS and
her vehement use of the English language when
crossed in her purpose either at rehearsal, or off
the stage. She was, had been told by one who
knew her WELL irritable, unreasonable, and
cranky to the utmost degree. She was self as
sertive, dictatorial, and, if need be, pugnacious.
She could take the Lords name in phrases en-
broidered to please the most fastidous in the use
OF irreligious explosives This obstreperous prima
donna-who, by the way has a voice now as hard
and metallic as the dollars she coined from it by
twenty years of constant use-had one pecul-
iarity that embroiled her continually with hotel
proprietors; she would eat nothing from the ho-
tel table matter whether she in Crab
Hollow. Chicago. Shanty Point or San Francisco.
Everything had to be cooked expressly for her
delicate palate on an oil or gas stove In her
Hotel food, she used to insist, too
uncle"n for her; nobody knew what horrid
things might get into the soup, what acct
dents happen to the steaks and omelets She
had always cooked and always would cook her
own meals or have 1t done under her sppervls-
ion. No matter how Boniface kicked, she paid
big prices and claimed the privilege The day
reached the hotel had occasion to use the bath
tub 1t was the dirtiest. grimiest bath tub
had ever come across. and had stopped at some
pretty tough hotels in my travels There were
streaks like dirt-rngs, in fact-around the in
side of the zinc, which caused me to cali the
chambermaid and ask what they meant. This
Milesian maid with voubility that was anaz
ing and candor that was charming, began by
making all manner of apologies for the appear
ance of the bath-tub. then explained the eccen-
trlcity of the prima donna. and solved the mys-
terry at last by saying: I'VE see, sor, it this
way: l cum into the rooms last Thursday
Afternoon to git me busting brushes had lift
behint me. when the missus axed wud
1 slip into the bathroom and git 'er
slippers. Av coorse I did, and may I
niver go to confeshun agin, sor, if didn't find
the toob half full of wather and two fne fat
mackeres swimming top" l discovered be-
fore had finished with the girl that the great
soprano singer had utilized her bath-tub as a
vessel in which to soak mackerel, Goldfish, salt
pork and other salt food, and the saltpetre had
left its corroding mark the zinc. 1t was a
public-that is, q hotel-tub. and had been in
use by washed and unwashed public for years.
but that made difference with the sweet
singer it was handy; besides. food cooked in the
kitchen might be dirty, you know.